There is one thing that is shared universally by people of faith- they will be tested. Some of the hardest sufferings to endure is not physical but the anguish of the heart.
“The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the Lord test the heart.” Proverbs 17:3.
CRUCIBLE
The crucible and furnace were designed on purpose to do a task, and God has designed a purpose in every test of our hearts.
FURNACE
The crucible and the furnace try the metal and make it pure. Only the extreme heat of a blasting fire can make silver or gold pure. Silver yields its impurities rapidly, but gold enters the furnace over and over to become pure. Some tests are like silver; they come and finish their purpose quickly; others are like gold and must be endured time and again.
TEST
Sometimes our tests are to expose our weaknesses, and sometimes to purify us. Just as a crucible tests and refines the metal, in the same way, our lives endure the fire of testing to reveal our shortcomings and to improve our quality. Like gold which becomes more pure and valuable; so the testing of our hearts will make us more precious, useful, and beautiful; through them, we grow and mature as we never would otherwise.
THE LORD
What a comfort that it is the Lord who tests our hearts! The Lord, who is so loving, all-wise, and all-powerful, has our good and best at the center of His plans for us. In our test, we can remember that He is in control. We may not understand why we go through such depth of testing, but we do understand He is bigger. We can and must trust in Him during the test.
Here are a few suggestions:
Let's be grateful that our trials are guided by a loving God and that we will become the treasure that we would not be otherwise in His hands.
“The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the Lord test the heart.” Proverbs 17:3.
CRUCIBLE
The crucible and furnace were designed on purpose to do a task, and God has designed a purpose in every test of our hearts.
FURNACE
The crucible and the furnace try the metal and make it pure. Only the extreme heat of a blasting fire can make silver or gold pure. Silver yields its impurities rapidly, but gold enters the furnace over and over to become pure. Some tests are like silver; they come and finish their purpose quickly; others are like gold and must be endured time and again.
TEST
Sometimes our tests are to expose our weaknesses, and sometimes to purify us. Just as a crucible tests and refines the metal, in the same way, our lives endure the fire of testing to reveal our shortcomings and to improve our quality. Like gold which becomes more pure and valuable; so the testing of our hearts will make us more precious, useful, and beautiful; through them, we grow and mature as we never would otherwise.
THE LORD
What a comfort that it is the Lord who tests our hearts! The Lord, who is so loving, all-wise, and all-powerful, has our good and best at the center of His plans for us. In our test, we can remember that He is in control. We may not understand why we go through such depth of testing, but we do understand He is bigger. We can and must trust in Him during the test.
Here are a few suggestions:
- Cling to our loving God in prayer.
- Search His word as never before.
- Recount His many blessings.
- Remind yourself of His love.
- Pray over the promises in the Bible.
- Declare to Him and others your trust in Him.
- Be honest before God and others.
- Accept the support of others.
- Thank God.
- Resolve by God's help to endure.
- Resolve to bless His name.
Let's be grateful that our trials are guided by a loving God and that we will become the treasure that we would not be otherwise in His hands.
(c) Adron 7/23/10
